Deny Me
by grrawr
Summary: Harry was never one to deny Draco, but when it matters most, he refuses to listen to Draco's pleas and makes a life-altering decision. Oneshot.  Melissa's first attempt at angst.


**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter, the world and its characters all belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing, and make no profit, no copyright infringement is intended.

"Harry please," Draco begged, "you don't have to do this."

He looked up at Draco and saw the concern reflecting in his eyes. "Hey," he said softly, "Don't you trust me Dray?"

"Of course I do, but-" Harry cut him off with a gentle kiss. "Harry, I can't leave you here; I can't let you do this." Draco cried, motioning to the dank prison cell." Vol- he's going to kill you Harry- the war's over, Hogwarts has been destroyed, the Order's fallen apart- he's no use for you anymore." Draco clutched at Harry through the metal bars, "Please, let me help you escape. You can use Polyjuice; pretend you're me, and then after you escape you can go about being random muggles. You'll be safe, Harry."

"It's not about being safe," Harry began, pulling back from Draco,"It's about knowing that I didn't give up, that the others didn't die for no reason, that even in the darkest of times, we found hope." He looked up shyly at Draco and blushed.

Draco smiled. Even in the rotting prison cell, when Harry was about to face certain doom, he could still make Draco's pulse race. As the peaceful illusion crumbled away, his brow furrowed once more, and his eyes grew cloudy with emotion. "But what about you, Harry? What about me? What about us? Do you really think that I'm going to be alright without you? I wasted seven years making a fool of myself to you; I'm not going to let some madman take away the next fifty." His voice trembled as he struggled to maintain his composure.

Harry shook his head slowly. "No Dray, I've made up my mind."

Draco drew back and detangled his hand from Harry's as the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the corridor. McNabb, his face shielded by a mask, walked in. "The Dark Lord wants Potter now." Draco felt his heart sink.

"Please Harry," Draco whispered, as McNabb dragged Harry away, "deny me."

Voldemort sat in a grey throne in front of the thrashing boy. "Crucio, crucio!" he cried out gleefully. Harry crashed to the floor, his face so badly slashed that he was hardly recognizable. Draco winced at each sound Harry made, remembering when they had been sounds of ecstasy and pleasure. "Enough fun!" Voldemort cried, as Draco's blood ran cold, "Tell me now Potter, I have heard some interesting things about you lately." He stepped forward to face Harry.

"Oh?" he asked calmly, his emerald eyes bright.

"I hear that you are in love with a certain…Draco Malfoy," Voldemort called, summoning Draco to his side. His grey eyes wide as saucers, Draco pleaded with Harry. _Don't, Harry,_ Draco silently begged, _deny me, please. Don't give him another reason to harm you._

"Yes," came Harry's clear reply.

"Just as I thought," Voldemort mused quietly, "The half-blood scum falling for the pureblood prince." Draco grew fearful; he knew that he often let the suspense grow before striking.

"Avada Kedavra." A flash of green erupted from Voldemort's wand as Draco bit his lip to keep himself from crying out. He watched the light fade from Harry's eyes as they lingered one last time over his lover's face, and his defiant smile slipped away along with it.

Voldemort's low laugh echoed throughout the room as he turned to leave, the other Death Eaters following behind him. Draco rushed forward to where Harry lay crumpled and lifeless on the floor. "Oh Harry," he sobbed, "Why did you have to be such a foolish git. You could have lied, you know. You could have let me help you escape. You could've done anything but this." His green eyes, once so bright and lively, lay dim and empty. Draco closed them gently, not bearing to look into them and see what was missing. He buried his face into Harry's hair and began to cry, the tears dropping onto Harry's face and mingling with the blood of his wounds. "Why? What did he do to deserve any of this? He was supposed to be mine! He promised! He promised..."

He woke up screaming, his pillow stained in tears.

"Mm what is it Dray?" Pansy murmured sleepily from the other side of the bed.

"Nothing dear," he lied, thankful for the darkness that concealed him, "Just a dream."

Draco closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. It had been more than a dream- it was a memory.


End file.
